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Gender as Continuum

From the moment we are born, we are designated a sex andgender. First, the terms gender and sex are often used

interchangeably. But gender and sex aren't the same. Sex is more

of a physical and biological aspect (reproductie organs,

chromosomes etc.! whereas gender refers to a sense of being

male or female. "ndiiduals express gender beliefs in eerything

they do, from their own beliefs and those of their culture

whether they indirectly or explicitly accept or assign these

gendered meanings to themseles or what others thin#, do and

feel. $arenting, expectations, upbringing, culture, peers,

community, media, religion and status are the most common

influences that shape our personal understanding of gender. "n

short, society dictates gender. %hat said, you can li#en it to a

crucible in chemistry, an instrument of change. Gender has comea long way, from being linear, restricting gender to either male

or female only to becoming multi&dimensional, allowing more

gender classifications, li#e lesbian, gay, bisexual, and

transgender, reflecting the diersity in human gender. Gender

was used to be one hundred percent male ()! or one

hundred percent ()! female, nothing in between, absoluteand restricting. *en and +omen hae long been confined to

what society expected of their genders. "n todays world, society

somehow portrays or creates a hierarchy that heterosexuality is

still the desired model. $ersons whose identities, practices, or

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beliefs concerning gender deiate (differ from! societys

traditional expectations are often discriminated. Gender as a

continuum allows a less structured, less restricting approach to

gender. "t allows more freedom for humans to express theirgender expression. But is gender more of nature- r culture- "t

is a combination of both. /nderstanding this will broaden our

perspectie on gender identity. By adopting a continuum model

of gender, indiiduals will not be excluded from society or

experience discrimination for possessing stereotypical 0ualities

of the opposite sex which will accept and embrace diersity.%his will also help alleiate or lessen the homophobia and

transphobia in society by not perpetuating a heterosexual world.

"t will alleiate the physical and psychological distress of those

who do not reflect the ideali1ed standard of gender. 2n excerpt,

0uoted below, from the study conducted by 3aura Saldiia

(Reexamining the Binary Construction of Sexuality) thoroughly

explained the concept.

"using biology to identify someone as man or woman

leaves great room for error, since the way biology is

interpreted is also a product of culture. If the construction of

gender had followed nature and had emerge from the evidence

it carries, gender would had spoken countless languages, not

only two. Instead of insisting on the primacy of nature or

culture as the source of gender differences, perhaps it is time

to recognize that both play a role and that no explanation of

gender difference can be reduced to one or the other of these

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two variables, but rather that they only make sense if they are

integrated"- Laura aldivia , !eexamining the #inary

$onstruction of exuality%